


Time to Say Goodbye

by shadowsamurai



Category: Waking the Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-04
Updated: 2012-07-04
Packaged: 2017-11-09 04:36:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/451343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowsamurai/pseuds/shadowsamurai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Funerals are never a joyous occasion, but whose funeral is it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time to Say Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> Written to many listenings of 'Time To Say Goodbye' by Andrea Bochelli and Sarah Brightman.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I'm just borrowing things for a while and I promise I'll put everything back exactly how I found it when I've finished. Well, almost exactly how I found it. ;)

WtD-WtD-WtD-WtD-WtD-WtD

Boyd stood solemnly in silence, the rain dripping off his chin and down his neck, but he felt none of it. He didn't feel the wind that whipped at his body, or the sadness that tore at his heart. It was so stupid; it should never have happened that way. One little mistake, and here he was. Here they all were. Together, yet apart. United but torn. Grief, he knew, would affect them all in different ways. And for Boyd, he felt numb from the inside out.

He didn't hear the words the vicar was speaking; all he could focus on was the coffin going into the ground. He could sense the pain of those around him, but the sound of their sobbing feel on deaf ears.

Boyd hadn't gone to Mel's funeral. He couldn't; he wasn't strong enough. But he had to attend this one. There was no getting round it or running away from it. He *had* to be here and he hated that fact.

Boyd realised the vicar was about to finish, and moving slowly, he glanced to his left. Grace was stood there, slightly apart from everyone else, clothed all in black and crying a river. Boyd's heart broke to see her so sad, but he couldn't comfort her. He had no words and his actions would have been stilted, stiff.

Then he noticed Spencer taking a step towards Grace and putting his arm around her shoulders. Boyd felt an irrational surge of jealousy, but he suppressed it quickly. If Boyd couldn't comfort Grace, then someone else would have to. God knows she would need it.

Spencer put his other arm around Stella's shoulders. The young DC was crying as well, and Boyd felt the need to comfort her too. But he couldn't. She reminded him too much of Mel for some reason, and Boyd didn't want to think about the DS. Not standing in the rain at a fresh graveside, where feelings of guilt for not attending Mel's funeral were overwhelming. Where there was no escaping the fact he couldn't save her.

And he couldn't save this one either. His team had again been fractured by death, Time cruel in who it chose to leave.

Boyd glanced around as everyone slowly left, and then looked back at Grace, Spencer and Stella, who were still there. The DI was trying valiantly not to cry, but the tears were escaping from his eyes without permission.

Eve stood with Grace's free hand in hers, the four of them offering silent support to each other, and Boyd could only watch. After a while, Grace turned to them.

"I'd like a few minutes alone, please."

They all nodded in understanding, their heavy hearts as obvious as the grey clouds in the sky. They looked at the grave one last time before turning and walking away, linked by hands and grief.

Grace stood there, Boyd next to her, and they both stared at the ground. The headstone was already in place, and Grace knew it wouldn't be long before someone came to fill the grave. Boyd looked at the tombstone and couldn't help the sharp laugh that escaped his mouth. Someone either had a very wicked sense of humour, or they'd put the wrong words on the stone.

"I know what you're thinking, Boyd," Grace said, her voice startling him, "but the tombstone was my idea. I - I felt it summed - it summed you up well." Her voice broke and she started to cry. "Why? Why did you have to leave? And why now?"

Boyd didn't have an answer and even if he did, he knew Grace wouldn't have heard him.

"I never told you when you were alive, and I should have done, consequences be damned. I - I loved you, Boyd, despite your temper, arrogance, ignorance, and every other bad point you had," Grace said. "But underneath it all was something else, something…gentle."

Boyd rolled his eyes.

"I can see you now rolling your eyes, but I don't care." Grace wiped her eyes furiously. "Look at me. See what you've done? You've made me cry. I hope you're bloody happy."

Boyd shook his head; *not really*.

"I don't know what's going to happen to the team, but we're all hoping they'll put Spence in charge. I just hope he doesn't turn into you."

Boyd glared at her.

Grace wiped her eyes again and blew her nose. "I have to go. The 'kids' will be worrying about me." She put her index and middle fingers against her lips and then placed them on the tombstone. "Good bye, Peter," Grace whispered before turning and walking away.

"I loved you too, Grace. Good bye," Boyd whispered back, his ghostly form shimmering and disappearing from the graveside

Grace stopped and turned, sure she heard something she couldn't possibly have heard; a voice from the grace. But her heart suddenly felt lighter, and there was the beginnings of a smile on her face as she joined the rest of the time, her thoughts on the engraved tombstone.

*You are no longer with us  
But friendship knows no limits  
Love knows no boundaries  
Memories have no age  
And time will not let us forget you  
You will be missed  
Peter Boyd  
1950-2007*

FIN


End file.
